Fire-flail.



P. SHVING.

FIRE FLAIL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1917.

j Patented Aug. 28,1917.

ATTORNEY R O T N E I tlNITE *bTATfi lt ATENT @FFll JFt PAUL SHVING, 0FBERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE-FLAIL.

Application filed April 10, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL SHVING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in F ire-Flails, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to flails especially adapted to be used forfighting fire and it consists in the novel features hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a flail of the character statedwhich is of simple and durable structure and which is cheap tomanufacture, and which may be used to advantage for beating out firewhich may be burning in grass, brush or the like.

With this object in view the flail comprises a panel of asbestos whichis stifli'ened and braced by sheet metal on both sides. A bail ispivotally connected with the said sheet of metal and a handle staff isswiveled to the intermediate portion of the bail. In operation, thedevice is used by swinging the same over the head of the operator and bybringing it down upon the fire which is burning at the ground in grassor brush thus beating out the flames and extinguishing the coals andsparks.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a perspective view of theflail;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the panel of the flail.

The flail comprises a panel which consists of a sheet of asbestos 1having sheets of tin plate 2 or other suitable metal applied to bothsides thereof. The sheets 2 add rigidity to the sheet 1 and brace thesame and hold the said sheet of asbestos in proper shape. the sheet 1 isbounded upon its edges by 7 strips 3 which serve to strengthen thegeneral structure of the panel and prevents the said sheet 2 from beingbent or twisted out of shape. A bar 4 is applied to one end portion ofthe sheet 2 which carries the strips 3 and is provided with ends whichextend beyond the side edges of the said sheet 2. A bail 5 is pivotallyconnected at its ends with the projecting end portions of the barSpecification of Letters Patent.

The sheet 2 at one side of Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Serial No. 161,069.

4, and a handle staff 6 is swiveled to the intermediate portion of thesaid bail 5. The swivel connection between the handle staff 6 and thebail 5 is such that the said staff may substantially have universalswinging or turning movement with relation to the said bail. Theconnection between the bail 5 and the bar 4 is such that the said bailmay have swinging movement with relation to the bar and the panel ofwhich it is a part.

In operation the device is used similar to that of a flail which isemployed for threshing grain and the operator grasps the staff 6 in hishand and swings the panel over his head and brings the same down uponthe fire which is at the surface of the ground in grass or brush withsufiicient force to put the fire out and extinguish the sparks. In viewof the fact that the asbestos is a nonconductor of heat the metallicsheet 2 which is located at the upper or top side of the panel, isprevented from becoming heated and hence it is not warped or readilybent or twisted out of shape.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, it will be seen that a fire fighting flail ofsimple and durable structure is provided and that the same may beefliciently used for extinguishing fire in grass or low brush.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. A flail comprisinga panel including a sheet of non-heat conducting material, a bailpivoted to the panel and a handle staif swiveled to the bail.

2. A flail comprising a panel including a sheet of heat non-conductingmaterial, a metallic sheet applied to the first mentioned sheet, a bailpivoted to the panel and a handle staff swiveled to the bail.

3. A flail comprising a panel including a sheet of heat non-conductingmaterial, a metallic sheet applied to the first mentioned sheet, bracingstrips applied to the edge portions of the second mentioned sheet, abail pivotally connected with the panel and a handle sta'fl' swiveled tothe bail.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PAUL SHVING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents,

Washingtomfi. 0.

